Mechanism for measuring the cubic contents of bodies



. IF. V. HOLLENBECK MECHANISM FOR MEASURING TE CUBIC CONTENTS OF BODIES Filed April 19, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IHTORNEVJ,

Apr. 24, i923.

P. V. HOLLENBECK MECHANISM `FDI( MEASURING THE CUBIC CONTENTS OFVBODIES Filed April. l9, 1921 4 sheets-sheet 2 1F. V., HOLLENBECM MECHANISM FOR MEASURING THE CUBIC CONTENTS OF BODIES Filed April 19,

1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 UUR/VHS.

Api. 24, `1923. www

- F. V. HOLLENBECK MEGHANISM FOR MEASURING THE CUBIC CONTENTS OF' BODIES Filed April 19. 1921 '4 sheets-sheet 4.

n `\.37 zml`f2 EN w53 @www 04W Patented Apr, 2id, i923,

.PAUL V. HOLLENBEUK, Qli NEW YORK, N. "El, ASSGNR TG tNTlEltNATONAL PAPER COMPANY, .3. COELPRA'JION F YORK.

MECHANISM FOB MEASURING THE CUBIC INTENTS Ul EOIDIES.

Application niet. april is, isti.` semaine. assises.

`a citizen ofthe United States, residing at NewYork city, in the county` oit New l'orlr and State of New York, have invented cer-` tain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism ior Measuring the Cubic Contents oi Bodies, oi' which the following; is a specification,` reference being1 had therein to the accompanying` drawing.

rThis invention relates to a machine tor measuring the volume or solid contents of bodies, and the inif'ention is an improvement on the `apparatus described and claimed in the application for patent tiled by me on the ath day of June 1920 Serial No. 386,611. The machine of said application was designed with special reference to the measurement ot the cubic contents or volume of logs or billets of wood used in the manufacture of paper pulp, and said machine comprises a swinging teeler member standing normally in an upright position in the path of the bodies to be measured, which are advanced endwise by a suitable conveyor, and the said bodies contacting with the teeler member in succession, act to subject the same `to successive displacing movements according tothe diameters of the bodies, the said feeler 'member atter each displacing move ment swinging `baclr to its normal upright position in the path of the next body or log.

Tl'iroufrh suitable actuating; mechanism, the

successive displaced movements of the 'eeler member operate a registering, mechanism, the actuating' mechanism being; of such term and so proportioned in its action to the amount of movement of the eeler member and to `the registeringV mechanism, that the latter will indicate, for a given length of body, the solid volume or contents ot' the same. ln said machine the axis of the ieeler member occupies a constant or `iixed position, and in the displacements ot the member. its end in contact with the logtraverses a path coincident with an archaving; the anis oit the feeler member as its center, and accord` ing1 to the diameter `of the log, the point at which the feeler member will disengage one lop,` preparatory to its return swing to non mal position for the next log, is at a greater or less distance from the vertical plane of said axis. rlhis condition necessitates the spacing ofthe logs on `the conveyor at disu tances apart corresponding to the distance 'from the vertical plane ot the `avis to the point to which the feelcr is moved by the log'. For logs of relatively small diameters, such spacing; would not ar'lectthe capacity of the machine to a material extent, but for larger logs say as ,great as thirty inches in diameter, the spacing oit the logs on the conveyor would have to be so great in order for the ieeler after disengaging one log to return to its upright normal position before being engaged by the next log, that much spacewould be lost on the conveyor, and the capacity oit the machine would be reduced.

According to the present invention l so arrange the ifeeler member that the distance trom its normal position to that to which its end in contact with the logis moved, is materially less 'for a given diameter `of log than in` said former machine, so that l am enabled to space the logs on the conveyor at materially closer intervals and thusprovide for the measurement ot larger sized logs and still maintain the capacity of the machine within practical limits. This result is effected by mounting,r the eeler member on an axis or fulcrum which is movable, and providing means whereby when the tree end et the member is moved forwardly by the afflvancinpg lon` or bot y, its ulcrumwill be shit-ted in the opposite direction. In other words the teeler member is subjected to two movements, namely, a swingingir movement on, its pivotal axis in one direction, and a bodily movement in another direction. The result is that the path of movement of the tree end ot the member approaches more nearly the vertical as it moves up under the intluence ofthe advancing log and as it moves down and back to meet the next log,`

`hereiifi-after described and claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings l 1s a sldeelevation of my improved machlne. i

Litl

- the registering mechanism is operated by the feeler member.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end elevation of the actuating cam of the actuating mechanism, and the means by which it is guided in its movements.

Referring to the drawings The operative parts of my machine are mounted in and sustained by a frame 1 consistin0'- in the present instance ot' three inverted U-shaped frame members 2, 3 and t adapted to rest on and be secured to the floor, and connected together in fixed relations to constitute a unitary 'trame structure, by means of upper intermediate and lower longitudinal frame members 5 and 6 at the opposite sides, and upper and lower transverse frame members 8 and 9 at the ends. Y

A conveyor device 10 for the logs or bodies to be measured is arranged to travel longitudinally between the legs oi the U-shaped frame members, which conveyor device in the present instance is in the form of a number of endless chains 10L provided at intervals with-upstanding carrier lugs or cleats 1l which engage the rear ends of logs 12 and act in the travel of the chains te advance the logs endwise to the action of the machine.

13 designates a feeler member arranged in an upright position within the frame in the path or" the advancing logs, and mounted to be swung at its lower end forwardly by one log and rest on the upper surface thereof and on disengaging the log to swing back to its normal upright position in front ot the next log. These displaced movements of the feeler member, the extent of which is determined by the diameters ot the respective logs, are utilized to operate a registering meehanism A to indicate the cubic content-s of the logs, and a suitable actuating mechanism to be presently described, is arranged between the teelerrmember and the registering mechanism, said parts being so relatively constructed and proportioned that for a given length ot body or log, the displaced movement ot the eeler member will eiTect the operation of the registering mechanism to measure the cubic contents of the body. The mounting and operation of thel feeler member is such that it issubje'cted to two movements, nainely, a Jforward swinging movement, as the free end oi the member is carried upwardly by the advancing log and is thus displaced laterally with respect to its initial position, and a bodily rearward movement, and while these two movements may be imparted to the teeler member in a variety ol ways, l prefer to so construct and arrange the parts that the bodily rearward movement will be effected automatically by the forward swinging movement, and in the accompanying drawings I show the parts so constructed and arranged.

This ifeeler member is constructed in the form of a plate 13 having fixed to it two parallel bars 13b which extend upwardly therefrom as best shown in Figs. l and 2. At their upper ends the two bars are fixed respectively to two vertical segment gears il and l5 supported by and meshing with horizontal longitudinally extending racks 1li and 17 ixedly sustained on bracket arms 1,8 and 19 projecting inwardly from the longitudinal trame bars G. At their apices, the segment gears are provided with hubs 1i und l5CL mounted on and fixed to a horizontal transverse shaft 20, on the opposite ends ot which, rolls 21 are loosely journaled and are adapted to travel longitudinally in guideways tormed between fianges 22 and 23 projecting inwardly from the respective longitudinal frame bars 5.

ln the construction described, the shaft Qd with the rolls thereon supported on. the flanges constitutes an axis or tulcrum tor the iieeler member, and due to the cooperation et the segment gears with the racks when the free end of the feeler member is swung forwardly by the advancing log, this fuierum will be shifted positively rearwardly in its guideways and will thus impart to the feeler member a rearward bodily shifting movement. This bodily movement will continue as long as the tree end ot the ieeler member is rising in its torward swing, and it will terminate at the moment that the end of the teeler member reaches the upper surface of the log. ris the log now passes thereunder. the feeler member will remain passive or practically so, and as the rear end of the log disengages the teeler member, the latter will swing back to its normal upright position in tronto'i the next log, such return movementbeing insured by a eounterbalamzing weight mounted adjustably on an arm 23 alixed to and extending forwardly trom the shaft 2t).

The dotted lines in Fig. l indicate the point to which the tree end ot the feeler member is displaced laterally from its normal position when resting on the upper surface of the log, and due to the automatic bodily rearward movement ot the feeler member in taking this position. the amount ot forward lateral displacement is about one-half what it would have been had the fulcrum of the llll retenir t teeler member been fixed asin the machine ot my said application. In such case, the

tree end or the :I'eeler member in order to reach the upper surface ot the log, would have to move ior 'ard laterally to the point lli@ nearone end, so that in the back and forth The r actuating mechanism by which the registering mechanism is operated by the dis- "placed movements of the feeler member, inl cludes a horizontal longitudinallyshiftable cam member 26 moving in a rectilinear path,`

avertically reciprocating rack bar 27 operated by the cam member and moving in a at t-hefrear end, this curved edge constitut` ing the active camming surface of the member. rit its rearend the member has lined to 1 1t an upwardly extending bracket 26d which 1s mounted loosely on the shaft 20 movements of the shaft as described," the cam member will be moved with it. The cam member is guided at its `liront end in such movements, by means of upper and lon/'er rollers 29 and 30 `which travel on horizontal longitudinal rails 31 and 32 extending between theira'me members 2 and 3 at one side, and supported by brackets eX- tendlng inwardly from said trame members as best shown in Figs. 2 and 7.

The rack bar 2( is in the form of two rails 27a connected together 1n` fixed spaced ii'elationsby means ot spacing washers and through bolts 27h, thereby constituting a unitary structure with rack teeth 27 in the forward edges of the two rails. The rails otn the rack bar entend on opposite sides of the sliding cam. membeigand the rack bar is guided in its vertical reciprocations by means oi? upper and lower pairs of spaced rollers 33 and 34 journaled on brackets 35 `entending inwardly from the side of the trame member 3, the rollers being traversed by the opposite edges of the rails as shown in 3 and le The raclr bar `is operated by the cam member througlfi the medium of a roller 36 journaled between the rails oii 'the `rack bar and resting on the cam surface 26 the movement `of the cam member rearwardly to the right in F ig. l, bringing the high part ot' the; camv beneath the roller and moving the rack bar upwardly, and the movement oit the cam member in the` opposite direction, permitting the rack bar to descend, itbeing remembered that the cani` member is moved rearwardly when the feelerrmember 1s swung forwardly by the ddvancing los* so thatin each displaced movementof the feeler member by the logs, the rac-lr bar is moved upwardly.

`The gear train is operated 'by the raclt bar in such manner that these upward movements oi.t the rack bar will be accumulated in the gear train, while the descending movements of the rack bar will be idle ones and will have no driving eli'ect on the gear train. This action is effected by interposing a clutch device between the rack bar and-the driving shaft 3G oli the gear train, ot such form that in its upward movement the raclr bar will beclutched tothe shat't and will `operate it, and in its downward movement the rack bar will be unclutched from the shaft. There are. many forms oitclutch devices suitable for operation in this manner, but l prefer to adopt the form of clutch shown in Figs. l, 3 and 6. Here it will be seen that the driving shaft 36 is mounted at its outer end in a bearing on a horizontal. bar 37 extending between and fixed to the upright frame bars 2 and 3, and at its inner end is mounted in a bearing on a bar 38 extending" parallel with the bar 37 and sustained in fixed relation thereto by means ot' three transverse horizontal bracket arms 39, 4f() and tlto which it is tiired and which bracket arms extend inwardly from the bar 37. A wheel 4t2 loosely surrounds the driving shaft and is formed with two segment gear-s d3 meshing with the two toothed rails `oit the rack bar 27. The hub of wheel 42 carries a disc ed whose peripheral edge is provided with a number of cam surfaces alla extending from the periphery of the disc towards its axis and tern'linating in radiall shoulders 441. `The disc is surrounded by an overhanging flange l5 on the edge of a circular plate having a hub t6 iixed to the shaft 36, and rollers 44C are arranged between the cam surfaces and the flange 4th and are engaged by springs l? bearing against the shoulders and acting to urge the rollers toward the contracted ends of the spaces between the cam surfaces and the flange. As' a result of this construction, when the rack Kbar 2T is moved upwardly by the rearward movement of the cam member due to the operation of the teeler member by the advancing log, segment gear wheel 4:2 will be turned by the rack bar. and the rollers dt of the clutch being wedged between the cam surfaces on the disc and the flange ot the circular plate, the latter will be turned and will impart a corresponding turning motion to the shaft 3G. llVhen however the rack` bar moves down when released by the (tion.

of the frame or to some other relatively.

fixed part of the frame. The cam surfaces on the disc are arranged to face in a direction opposite the cam surfaces on the disc of the other clutch, so that while clutch 48 will permit the shaft to turn when the rack Abar is moved upwardly, the shaft will be locked against back movement by the wedging action of the cam surfaces on the rollers of clutch 48. Of course other means may be vemployed to thus prevent `the return movement of the shaft between its advancing movements, the special clutch device illustrated and described being shown merely by 'way of example and as constituting an effective means for accomplishing the result. Shaft 36 has fixed to it at the outer side of the driving clutch, a gear wheel 51 which kmeshing with a gear wheel 56 on a shaft 57 journaled in bearings in an arm 57a fixed to the bracket before alluded to. Shaft 57 carries a disc 58 from the side of which a pin 59 projects and constitutes a revolving member, the purpose of which will presently appear. Extending parallel with shaft 54 is a rock shaft 60 mounted in bearings in the frame bars 37 and'88 and having its forward end operatively connected with the operating gearing of the registering mechanism A before alluded to, which latter is fixed to the front of the machine frame as shown in Fig. l. Shaft 60 is rocked to operate the registering mechanism, by means of the revolving pin 59 which in its revolutions engages an arm 60LPL extending beneath and in the path of the pin and provided at its forward end with a hub surrounding the rock shaft and adjustably fixed thereto by a set screw 6l. As a result of the construction described, when the pin 59 is revolved by the rotation of disc 58, the pin engaging theY armv 6()a will rock said arm periodically corresponding to the successive cycles of operation'of the pin, the arm being held yieldingly in the path of the pin by aspring G2 connected at its lower end to the frame bar 9 andl connected at its upper end to an arm 6 8 fixed to and projecting forwardly from lthe rock shaft.

The registering mechanism A may be of the conventional standard form, and the form and relation of the operative connec- `tions between the feeler member and registering mechanism is such that for a given length of log or body, the displaced movement of the feeler member, determined and controlled by the diameter of the log, will actuate the registering mechanism to indicate the solid contents or volume of the log in cubic yards, the successive movements of the feeler member by the engagement therewith of the successive logs, and the successive reciprocations of the rack bar 27 by ythe cam member 2G, being accumnlative in the rotation of the driving shaft 3G and in the gearing connecting said shaft with `the registering mechanism.

The contour of the cam surface 2G" is so laid out mathematically that when the cam advances to the position fo any giron length of log within the range of the machine, the cani rise is proportioned to the cross-.sectional area of the log, and the gears 5l, 58, 55 and 5G are so proportioned that disc 58 will make one revolution for each unit of volume measured for bodies of a given length, it being noted that gears 55 and 5G are of the same diameter. I propose however to provide for measuring logs of a different given length by arranging a second set of gears corresponding to the set of gears and 56, and operated by shaft 54. This arrangement is best shown in F ig. 5 where it will be seen that in front of gear shaft 54 has fixed to it gear 64 of less diameter than gear 55, and which meshes with a larger gear on a short shaft GG mounted in bearings in an arm 67 fastened to the bracket plate 40, forward of the arm 57. A disc (i8 similar to disc 58 is fixed to shaft 6G and carries a revolving pin (39 similar to pin 59. To enable rock shaft (l0 to be operated by this set of gears, arm (30 is shifted along the shaft to a position where it will extend in the path of the revolving pin ($9, by first loosening said screw Gl which fastens arm G0 adjustably to its shaft. lVhen this set of gears is in action, by reason of the ratio of the individual gear to each other, a greater number of movements of the rock shaft will be necessary to register a unit of volume than was necessarv when gears 55 and 56 were in operation. and consequently this set of gears is brought into action when logs of less given length are to be measurci'l. In the particular example shown. gear G-lis half the diameter of gear G5, hence they will operate to measure bodies of half the given length of those recorded by the action of the other set of gears. By providing additional sets of gears, between shafts 54 and 60 consisting of gears of different ratios, the cubic contents of bodies of other given lengths may be measured. Y

In order that the number of bodies or logs rearward bodily movement to the member, a registering mechanism for registering the cubic contents of the bodies and means operated by the movable member and operatively connected with the registering mechanism to actuate the same.

5. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a. movable member supported on a fulcrum and adapted to be swung forwardly on said fulcrum by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, means f or moving said fulcrum rearwardly in a rectilinear path to impart a bodily rearward movement to the member, a registering mechanism for registering the cubic contents of .the bodies, and means operated by the movable member and operatively connected with the registering mechanism to actuate the same.

6. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a movable member snpported on a fulcrum and adapted to be swung forwardly on said fulcrum by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, means controlled by the swinging movements of the member and acting to shift the fulcrum of the vsame rearwardly to impart a rearward bodily movement to the member, a registering mechanism for registering the cubic y contents of the bodies and means operated by the movable member and operatively connected with the registering member to actuate the same.

7. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a movable member supported on a fulcrum and adapted to be swung forwardly! on said fulcrum by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, a segment gear fixed to said member, a iiXed rack with which the segment gear meshes, whereby when said member is swung forwardly on its fulcrum the latter will be moved rearwardly and will impart a bodily rearward movement to the member', a registering mechanism for registering the cubic contents of the bodies, and operative connections between said member and the registering rmechanism to actuate the latter.

8.v 'In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a frame provided with guides, a supporting member movable back and forth in said guides, an arm fulcrumed on said supporting member and depending therefrom in the path of passing bodies, a fixed rack on the frame extending parallel with thev guides, a segment gear on the arm meshingvwith the rack, whereby the lower end of the arm will be displaced by the passing bodies and in such displaced movements the arm will be shifted bodily in a direction contrary to the displaced movement, a registering mechanism to register the cubic contents ofi the bodies. and operative connections between the arm and registering mechanism to actuate the latter.

9. In a mechanism of the type described. the combination of a swinging vfeeler member located normally in the path of the advancing bodies and adapted when engaged by the bodies to be swung forwardly, and to be moved bodily rearwardly, and a registering mechanism operated by the feeler member and acting to register the cubic contents of the bodies.

l0. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a feeler member mounted on a movable fulcrum, and located normally in the path of advancing bodies|` said member adapted when engaged by the advancing bodies to be swung forwardly on its fulcrum, means for moving the fulcrum rearwardly to impart a rearward bodily movement to the member, and a registering mechanism operated by the feeler member and acting to register the cubic. contents of' the bodies.

1l. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a movable feeler member adapted to be displaced by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, a registering mechanism to register the cubic contents of the bodies, a rectilinearly movable cam member operated by the feeler member, and operative connections between the cam member and registering mechanism to actnate the latter. i

12. In a mechanism of the type described, the combination of a feeler member adapted to be displaced by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, a registering mechanism to register the cubic contents of the bodies, a rotary shaft, operative connections between the shaft and registering mechanism for aetuating the latter, a reciprocating member, a rectilinearly movable cam member operated by the feeler member and engaging the reciprocating member to reciprocate it, and operative connections between the reciprocating member and the rotary shaft to actuate the latter.

13. In a mechanism of the type described` the combination of a feeler member snpported on a fulcrum movable horizontally back and forth, said feeler member adapted to be swung on its fulcrum by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, means controlled by said swinging movement to move the feeler member bodily, a rectilinearly movable cam member connected with said fulcrum to more with it, a registering mechanism for registering the cubic contents of the bodies, and operative connections between the cam member and registering mechanism to actnate the latter.

retenir? la. ln a mechanism ot the type described, the combination of a feeler member adapted to be displaced by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters oil the respective bodies, a registeringl mechanism to register the cubic contents ot the bodies, a rotary shaft, operative connections between the shaft and the registering mechanism lor ac- 'tnating` the latter, a reciprocating member moving; in a "vertical rectilinear path and clutched to the sha'tt and adapted when reci )rocated to aifivance the shaft ste b ste 3 and a cam member movable by the feeler member in a horizontal rectilinear path and engaging the i'cci.] n'ocatingiv member to re- :iprocsate it.

l5. In, a mechanism or' the type described, the combination oi a feeler member snpported on a :tulcrnm movable bach and forth horizontally in a rectilinear path and adapted to be swung forwardly on its :Fulcrum by passing bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, means controlled by said swinging movements to move the fulcrnm rearwardly and impart a rearward bodily movement to the Yleele'r member, a cam member connected with said lulcrum to move with it in a horizontal rectilinear path, a vertically reciprocatine` member operated by the horizontal movements oi the cam member and movable in a rectilinear path, a registering mechanism to register the cubic contents of the bodies, and operative connections between the reciprocating member and the registering mechanism to actuate the latter.

16. ln a mechanism oi the type described, the combination of a movable member adapted to be displaced by passing` bodies to positions determined by the diameters of the respective bodies, a horizontally movable cam member operated by the iieeler member and traveling in a rectilinear path, said cam member being,` provided with an actuatingh cam surface, a vertically reciprocating rack bar traveling in a rectilinear path and engaged with the upper side of said cam suriace, whereby the movement of the. cam in the displaced action oll the leeler member will move the rack bar upwardly, a registering .mechanism to register the cubic contents of the bodies, and operative connections between the rack bar and registeringr mechanism to actuate the latter. i

In testimony whereof, I have ailixed my signature hereto.

PAUL V. HOLLENBECK. 

